


99.9%

by vibrantankles



Category: Actor RPF, Merlin (TV), Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-11
Updated: 2013-12-11
Packaged: 2018-01-04 09:26:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1079315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vibrantankles/pseuds/vibrantankles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Told from the perspective of one Eoin Macken.  It's the night of the NTAs, and Eoin watches his two friends, and wonders, and doubts. Just a little.</p>
            </blockquote>





	99.9%

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to twitter for the awesome folks its brought to me, and to my fab, talented, wonderful artist and cheerleader, merlocked18. Thanks to MssDare for giving me the final push I guess I needed to post this.

“ _Jesus, he’d just better get here on time...for James’ sake if for nothing else_.”

Eoin had had the same, increasingly desperate thought almost since he’d arrived and seen the nervous, single-minded ball of energy his mate Bradley had become.

It was the NTA Awards, and Merlin had been nominated, which is why there were several from the show all there to represent it, just in case the unlikely should happen and the show took home the prize.

Of course, that wasn’t the reason why Bradley James had turned into an ant hill, squirming and twisting in his chair since the show had started, distracted and unfocused. It wasn’t the reason why he’d been checking his phone during every break either.

Bradley hadn’t seen the other nominee, Colin, from their now defunct show in some time. Bradley had been in the states since almost immediately after their last last day of filming Merlin, and Colin had been busy with a project in Ireland. It had been months. Months. And Eoin lived with Bradley in the UK, off and on, and he knew what Bradley was like, he knew how tight the two of them were...

Not even the presence of Bradley’s mum here at the awards’ show seemed to have a calming influence on Bradley. He was twisting in his chair constantly, turning to look over his shoulder, becoming more and more agitated as the slot for Colin’s category loomed closer.

Besides being horribly embarrassing for Colin, it was going to be terrible for Bradders too if Colin didn’t make his appearance on time.

Eoin kept finding himself watching Bradley more than paying much attention to what was going on in the show. These things were always on the dull side anyway, and the most entertaining aspect of it was always watching the floor runners going mental during every break. Several people who arrived late would squat down in the aisles so as not to distract from what was going on onstage.

Bradley’s worry was becoming increasingly evident to anyone who even cared to look, and Eoin was torn between taking the piss out of him for it and being sympathetic.

He settled on exchanging knowing looks with Rupert on his right and snickering with Alex on his left. _Look at him...he’s going to break his damn neck if he keeps swiveling around like that...poor love-sick sod._

Of course, Eoin knew the exact moment when the man who had caused all of Bradley’s nervousness finally arrived. It was during another’s presentation, and he sensed someone in the aisle, turned to look, and...

Bradley and Colin were sharing the same chair.

Eoin hadn’t known he’d ever possessed the amount of self discipline he had that kept him from guffawing out loud.

He didn’t even bother whispering a “hello” to Morgan, because---yeah. Colin and Bradley were being Colin and Bradley again.

The velvet chairs weren’t meant for two, and Eoin’s mates were both balancing on one arse cheek apiece on it, hips, shoulders and thighs touching. They were deep in conversation, and their heads almost touched too. At one point Bradley whispered something to Colin which he apparently didn’t hear, and so Colin leaned in closer. At another point, Bradley ran his hand over Colin’s old-Hollywood-glamour style tuxedo lapel, probably just to feel the fabric.

Eoin was reminded of the wrap party they’d all attended just a few months ago, the party that was their last time all together as a cast and crew of a single show. They were all ready to move on, but it was still an emotional gathering, because so many of them had formed close bonds.

Not anyone as close as Bradley and Colin, though.

Eoin and Bradley lived together. Eoin was ninety nine point nine percent that he knew what Bradley’s sexual preference was, and that it didn’t include cocks.

The point one percent of uncertainty came from the way Bradley always behaved with the man now almost sitting in his lap, as well as the way that same man behaved with Bradley.

At that months-ago wrap party, after the initial giddiness had tapered off a bit and the liquor had been flowing at a steady rate for several hours, Eoin had happened upon Colin and Bradley at one of the more private tables, their heads bowed together in quiet and seemingly intense conversation.

“You two are cute as balls together, you know that”, Eoin had slurred, and then thought a moment and added, “Why don’t you just shag and get it over with, anyway?”

Colin, predictably, had said nothing, just raised his eyebrows and then taken a swig of his drink. But Bradley, being Bradley, hadn’t left that remark there.

“What makes you think we haven’t already fucked, you hairy bastard?”

And he’d said it very, very seriously.

Eoin was so startled by that he almost tripped over something on the floor and fell. Or maybe that was just because he’d been very very drunk. He’d had a lot to drink that night, after all.

But if he’d thought he’d been startled by what was undeniably just James being a smart arse, it was nothing compared to Colin’s reaction. Eoin’s fellow Irishman just pursed his lips a moment as if thinking. Then he'd nodded, as if in agreement.

“Yeah, that time in France.”

“That’s right, I’ll never forget it.”

“Ah, good times.”

And Morgan and James had smiled at each other, a very enigmatic kind of smile, and clinked their glasses together and drank again.

Eoin had known they were just rattling his cage, he’d known that.

Pretty much, anyway. Ninety nine point nine percent...

Besides, Eoin had been very drunk that night.

Now, though...he was watching them again, and thinking about the point one percent of doubt that remained about these two.

Another break came, and floor workers did their thing again, running around like crazy people. A chair was brought for Colin, and the entire row was asked to move down one. Colin was positioned at the end of the row, just in case he should be called during his category. It was the next one up, right after the break. Colin had just made it in on time by the skin of his teeth.

Eoin was probably just imagining it, but it seemed that the two were reluctant to part from their uncomfortable perch. Of _course_ he was just imagining it.

“Hey”, Eoin said to Colin, and Colin turned to smile at him, to greet himself, Rupert, Alex, and Bradley’s mum, and to nod and wave at Julian and Johnny, at the opposite end of the row.

And they were at it again, as if in their own little world. Bradley and Colin’s world. Bradley cracked up, full on, at some whispered comment from Colin, the cords standing out in his neck, and he listened very closely when Colin whispered to him about his project in Ireland, eyes never leaving Colin’s face.

It was the way they always were together, especially when they thought they were alone. Which apparently, here in this crowded auditorium, they thought they were.

They didn’t have much time, it was almost time for the break to end, but Eoin couldn’t resist, he just couldn’t.

“Hey”, he said again, a little louder, and both Colin and Bradley turned to look at him. “Do you two think you were sitting close enough on that chair?”

It was Colin who answered while Bradley just rolled his eyes at him. “He kept it nice and warm for me, that seat. Besides, after everything we’ve done on the show for five years, that wasn’t that close.”

And Colin and Bradley went back to whatever intimate conversation they were having, effectively ignoring Eoin.

Okie dokie then.

Eoin turned to look at Alex, seated on his right, who had witnessed Eoin being bested and was now snickering at him.

 

The music intro came up, and Colin’s category was called.

They showed a clip from the last episode, the one both Bradley and Colin had just kicked arse on. It was the magic reveal, with Bradley as Arthur prone on the “forest” floor and Colin as Merlin weeping and then demonstrating his forbidden powers for his king, in the form of an embers-formed flying dragon.

The fangirls screamed louder for Colin than anyone else.

“ _And the winner is....Colin Morgan!_ ”

Oh, God...

Colin didn’t move for a long moment, but Bradley reacted right away. He didn’t look at Colin at all, but one strong arm was around his shoulders, his hand bunching the fabric of Colin’s expensive suit, pulling him close to Bradley. The other hand was slapping at Colin’s chest in exuberant congratulations.

Bradley and Colin never looked at each other. Not once.

Eoin and Alex were making a loud ruckus, so genuinely excited for their friend, and Colin grinned widely down the aisle at them, and at the Js, and at Bradley’s mum, who had made a little shrieking sound when Colin’s name had been called and was now enthusiastically applauding for him.

Colin left his chair to accept his award, and they all stood for him, their entire row, letting him know how pleased and proud they were of him. Bradley’s eyes never wavered from his friend’s form. Not once.

And he had _tears_ in his eyes.

 _Ah, James, you’ve got it bad my brother_...

That .1% of doubt might just have increased to .5%...maybe more.

Colin’s acceptance speech was short and a little awkward and generic, and afterward there were some jokes about Merlin being Irish. Colin disappeared backstage, and Bradley began fiddling with his phone again, Colin’s now-empty chair beside him.

Another break, and Eoin again just couldn’t resist. He leaned across Rupert and tapped Bradley’s knee.

“Cute as balls together, the two of you.”

Bradley’s only reaction was a slight smirk, and a two fingered salute at Eoin, shielded from the aisle by Bradley’s phone.

Eoin just smirked back at him.


End file.
